Snowplow



June 27, 1933. 1 H KERBER ET AL SNOWPLOW Filed June 3, 1931 4Sheets-Shes?l -1 June 27, 1933., J. H. KERBER ET AL 1,915,675

SNOWPLOW .Filed June 3, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 dumm F 1 i whether thetruck 1s driven entirely from the 40 is increased with the depth o-f thesnow and Patented June 27, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE A JOSEPH H.KERBER, OF WEST ALLIS, AND EDWARD'A. DROTT, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCON- SIN,ASSIGNORS TO I-II-WAY SERVICE CORPORATION, OF MILWAUKEE, WSCONSN,

Y' .A CORPORATION OF VJISCONSIN SNOWPLOW Application filed.` June 3,

The invention relates to snow'plows and more` particularly to snow plowsadapted to connection to a'motor driven vehicle.

` Many attempts have been made to provide snow plows that may beattached to motor driven vehicles and more particularly to Inotor truckchassis but so far as we are aware, these attachments have all been madeto set the plow in the front of the machine with the weight of the plowapplied to the frame of the vehicle in advance of the front wheels.Where plows are mounted in front as above described the distribution oftheir weight at the front of the frame has a tendency of cantleveringthe frame over the front axle and" thus lifting the rear of thetruck andconsequently lessening the ground contact pressure of the rear tractionwheels. Consequently with the front mounted plows,

snow on the plow during plowing will be exerted downwardly upon the reartraction wheels and thus increase traction and the vehicleis drivenbackwards duringplowing. Thus with the plow structure mounted. at therear of the truck' so as to distribute its weight at the rear and overthe rear traction wheels, the weight of the plow plus the weight of thesnow on the plow and the so-called backward momentum of the vehicle allcooperate so that the weight and traction speed and therefore the deeperthe snow, the more traction we have on drive wheels.'` As an example,-we may have up to ten tons ofy weight directly over the rear axle.

the plowing efficiency of the apparatus of our invention is superior tothe trucks having front mounted plows and this fact has been definitelyestablished in actual practice. Furthermore by mounting the plow overthe Serial No. 541,818.

rear tract-ion wheels and going in a backward direction we eliminateside draft when bucking banks afterthe first trip throughV the snowsince due to mounting of the plow inthis manner there is no chance ofswing-` in the present arrangement is that we push our plow directlyfrom the rear axle inthe direction of plowing thus giving the frame andsprings their full oscillation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a snow plow forconnection at the rear of a motor driven truck whereinthe plow carryingframe is connected by links to the main frame and to the rear axle andin such a way that the plow may be raised and lowered as desired.

A further ob] ect of the invention is to provide a plow constructionwherein the center of the plow structure is provided with an outwardlyprojecting snow cutting blade or divider plate andk wherein snow cuttingblades are also arranged at the sides of the plow so as to out throughsnow banks and thus assist the plow in its work. By using this dividerplate on the front of the plow, Y.

we can buck snow sideways without having a portion of it roll out in theroad on the opposite side of the plow. A further object of theinvent-ion is to provide a simple and novel arrangement of multiparthoist for raising and lowering the plow. Y

A further obj ect of the invention is to provide a motor driven snowplow adapted to be operated while the vehicle is travelling` backwardsin which the framework of the plow structure is so constructed andarranged as not to obscure the vision of the driver or operator of theplow from his seat on the vehicle. v

Other features and advantages will 'be pointed out in detail in thefollowing speciiication: .v l

In the drawings, Fig.Y 1- is a side elevation view of a snow tion. g y yFig. 2 is a plan view of the snowr plow structure, parts being brokenaway; 'y Y Fig. 3 is a detail sectional View taken on the line 3-3 ofFig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view taken on theline4-4ofFig.3;..f Fig. 5is a front end elevation lview of the plow structure at the .rearfof itspropelling truck. f 1 Y Fig.,6 is a detail sectional viewtaken on theline 6 6 of Fig. 2;

3C nhe invention- `mounted directly over the yrear traction Fig. 7 isadetail sectional view taken on the linej 7--7- of Fig. 2;

'A Fig,` 8 is amdetail sectional view taken on the line, 8 8 of Fig.` 3;f

Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view taken on the line-9 9 of Fig. 3;, f

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic viewuof theV hoist mechanism.

- Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic view of a truck to illustrate the action ofthe plow embodyferring to the drawings, Figs. 1 and 3, the numeral 11designates generally a motor driven vehicle of the truck type havinglthe rear traction wheels 12, the usual front steerf 'ing wheels 13,drivers cab 14, the. hood 15 covering `the Vpower plant, p and the Vmainframe 16 supported 'in known manner by suitable springs, the rearsprings 17 and theV extending vthe length thereof and work in rear axle18 being shown in Fig. 3.

The main frame ofathe plow includes a sturdy U-shaped arch or bridgemember'19, whosey sides or legs 2() are suitably braced by diagonalbraces 21 connecting them with the transverse beam for top 22, thisframe being wheels12,`see Figs. 121and 3. A.Cutter lsupportingbeams `23are connected to the legs 20 adjacent the top beam 22 and are also con-.nected and securely trussed to said'legs byy 'inclined truss beams24which extend from the end extensions 423 of the beams 23 `to -medialpoints of the legs 20, it being noted that these parts are formed ofvheavy sec- Heavy gau e `metal plates -form the sides of a V-shape plowblade 25vhaving cuttingY edgefplates 26 secured theretoiat, their loweredges. A vertically disposed bulkhead plate 27 .is kdisposed behind theplates 2.5 and is connected thereto as by rivets 28, see Figs. 2,y3-and9. A bottom plate 29 is secured inY frontas by weldingy to vtheblade portions 25 and is similarly secured tothe bottom por- Ation ofthe bulkhead27- and has rearwardly extending portions 30 carrying shoesor runplow embodying the invenn ners 31 and also connected to the basesof the legs 20 adjacent the rear wheels.` The v`blade portions 25 arealso securely tied to with the bridge member 19 over the rea'rfend ofthe frame and over Wheels. 4

, A V-shaped plate frame construction comprising the top plate 34 issecurely riveted to the upper edges35 of the blade portions 25 and tothe plates'32, see Figs. 3, 6 and 7, andthe structure thus fardescribedis further braced by diagonal braces or truss members 3.6- securingltheouter ends of the divergent beams 23 to angle brackets 37 at the apexofthis V-shaped frame, see Fig. 5.

, The outer ends ofthe beams 23 have depending spaced side plates 38bolted or otherwise suitably secured thereto and the inner one of eachof these plates is connected by a cross ybrace member 39 with theadjacent diagonal inclined brace 36, see Fig. 5.

. Side bank cutting knives 40are pendently supported from the outer endsof the beams 2 3 byy an upper bolt 41 connecting the per endsofsaidknives .withsaid beams an the plates 38 between which these knivesextend and by a lower shearable bolt 42 passing through said-knives andplates 38 butvadapted to be sheared olf in case the knife encounthe reartraction rters too much resistance so that said vknife or knives thenpivoting on their upper'bolts 41 mayvswing freely toward the truck body.These knives ,have sharp cutting edges 43 paths in advance ofandslightly vbeyond the ends ofthe main plow'blade portions 25 `asshowny in Figs. 2 and 5.

A centrally disposed vcutting blade or divider plate 44 is mounted toproject in front of the apex of the blade ortions 25 and is securedthereto by angled' rackets 45riveted4 thereto andl tovsaid portion, andacts to` cut down the resistance of the material against the vplow andprevents the snow from one side` of the plowworking over to the othersiderand thus keeps the load divided.'`

KSide snow deflecting wings are also associated with the top portions ofthe' blade portions '254 and are 'arranged for pivotingk at variousinclinations withV respectthereto ing in a hinge slot49 in the plates 34and` that said wings have spaced `sets of pivot ears 50 carrying bolts51 connected by yadjustable links 52 with pivot pins V53 mounted insimilar spacedsets of ears 54 on the plates 34, said links having aplurality of spaced ioo holes for adjustably receiving said pins 53 tovary the effective length of the links and thus vary the inclination ofthe wings 46 relativeY tothe 'face of the plow blades to suit differentoperating conditions.

For connecting the plo-wstructure with the truck, an Lipper set ofspaced links 5,6 and a lower set of spaced links 57 are provided, se'e YFig. 3. VEach upper link 56 is pivotally con-` nected by:,al pin 58 topivot ears 59 secured toithe bulkhead'plate27 and by pivot bolt 60 toaframe member 61 secured tothe side bar 62 of the mainframe 16 of thetruck over the rear traction wheels v12.y Each link 57 `is'pivotallyconnected by a pin l63 to pivot ears 64 on the blade portion'25 and by apivot bolt 65 yto a bracket 66 secured to the spring bolster`67 of therear axle by the hanger bolts 68; These links 57 `transmit thrustsduring plowing to the rearaXle and at a point below the same to assistingetting traction and also to allow 'free action of the springs 17.

. The frame members 61 each have an up- Y right frame member 69`securedthereto and braced by an angular plate 70 and guide plates 71'secured toangles 72y to the backsof each link-56 intermediate its ends slide onthe uprights 69 vand maintain said links in proper lateral alignment. f;The lower links 57 work through. velongatedY slots, 7 3 in the bulkheadplate 27 and .are maintained in properlateral alignment byangled guides74 secured to said plate 27, see'Figs. 3 and 4.

FY `A. triangular shaped frame or lever 7 5 is Vformed by the spacedchannel bars 76 whose converging' ends are securedv in spaced relationby a tie plate 77 and whose diverging ends carry channel shaped brackets78 pro- 4.o vided with pins79 carrying rollers 8O adapted to engagethelaterally extending side 81vof an angled plate 82 secured to thebulkhead plate 27, see Figs. 2 and 3. rIhe bars 76 intermediate theirends have pivot brackets 83 se '45 cured thereto through which a pivotshaft 84 mounted in the uprightframe members 69 and plates passes. Theseuprights 69 and plates 70 are braced at their upper ends by a transversetie vbar85 connecting them to- '.'50 gether. The pivot point for thelever .75

being at the rear of thetruck frame on theV frame parts including theframe members 61, the. weight of the plow structure and its load isapplied over the rear traction wheels 12.

The spaced converging ends of the bars 76 carry a shaft 86 upon which aseriesV of pulleysr87 are mounted, said pulleys cooperating with asimilar set of pulleys 88 mounted on a shaft 89 carried by the framemembers 66 61 on the truck to form operating connections or a multi-parthoist line or cable 90l which is trained over, saidpulleys as shown inFig. 10 and is dea-d ended at one end as at 91 to theV frame of thevtruck and after passing over the pulleys proceeds forward and is woundupon a hoisting drum 92 mounted on the truck body and adapted `to `beoperated in any suitable manner from the power system of the truck andunder the control of the operator in the cab 14. Thus winding up thecable 90 on the hoist drum willnact to swing the inner end of the frame75 toward the truck and thus raise the other end which in turn throughthe rollers 80 acts on the plate 82 to raise the entire plow structure.Thus the plow may be set so that the shoes 31 rest on the ground overwhich the plow is running or it may be raised above the same.

In working the plow, the vehicle proceeds in a backward direction whenconsidering the front of the truck and it will be noted from Figs. 1 and5 that the plow operator has a clear visionl from his seat in the cabthrough the space 93 between the parts 22 f truck, 13 the front wheels,12 the rear traction wheels, 95 and 96 arrows indicative of applicationsoia force as applied to the vehicle. Where, as is usual, the plowstructurev is applied to the front of the vehicle in frontA of the frontwheels the weight of the plow and the reactive forces acting in thedirection of the arrow 95 will have a tendency to swing or cant thetruck frame about the front wheels and thus tend to lift the rear wheels12 from their traction surface and lessen the ground cont-act pressureof these rear wheels and consequently the deeper the snow and the harderthe plowing the less traction there is on the rear wheels. VVh-ereas inthe present construction the weight of the plowV plus the weight of thesnow on the plow and the reactive forces occasioned by the movement ofthe. plow into the snow acts in the general direction indicated by thearrow 96 vover the rear traction wheels, the weight and the forcesacting to holdthe plow to its work increases with the depth of the-snowand speed and consequently the deeper the snow the greater will be theforces exerted in the lOl) line of the arrow 96 and hence the greaterthe I traction on the rear wheels 12. mounting the plow over the reartraction wheels and driving the truck in a rearward direction, there isno chance of swinging the truck sideways when bucking banks after thefirst trip through the snow and thus side draft is prevented.Furthermore, as the plow rblades are mounted to work directly in frontof the rear wheels, the chance for snow rolling back under lthese rearwheels and interering with the level traction surface pro- Also by iduced by rtheplow is prevented. Further.

more-since theplow is Imounted so thatit is pushed directly through thelinks 57 from the f rear ordriveaxlein the direction o-fplowing with'.

v"It" will also be 'noted that the plowv idroceeds throughthesnow, thesides of the bank will be cut through by the knives 40 and the.l

. center of the ymaterialfbeing plowed will be cut through by the `blade4.4V and thatv the `V-shaped. plow blade will #throw the snowA to thesides of the road assisted in deep snow by the adjustableside-wings 46.is also to be notedv that the entire plow structure and its frame areall one unit, that thebulk` head plate 27 is disposed directly behindthe rear end of the main frame of the truck Land kthat the legs 20 ofthe frame member 19 straddle the rear wheels 12 of the truck.

lVe desire it to be understood that this invention is not to .be limitedto any particular form or arrangement of parts except in so far assuchlimitations are included in the claims.y i

lVhat we claim as our invention is:

1; The combination .with a motor driven vehicle of the. truck typehaving front steeringwheels and rear traction wheels, and a main frameabove said wheels, of a snow plowy including a fixed blade connected tothe rear portion ofvthelmain frame with its weight distributed directlyover. saidrear traction wheels and operating at the .rear of said truckwhile the truck is driven in-a rearward direction, and means "for bodilymoving said plowv verticall Y 4 f2. .The combination with a motordrivenvehicle of the/truck type having front steer,- ing wheels, Vreart1action'wheels5 a main frame, wheel supporting axles and springsconnecting said axleswith the main frame, of a snow plow operating atthe rear of the truck while said truck is driven in a rearwarddirection, pivoted means for connecting said plow to the main frame,pivoted means for connecting said plow to the rear wheel sup-V portingaxle, said plow being mounted Vonthe rear of saidfmain frame todistribute its vweight over said rearv traction wheels, and

means' for `bodily moving said plowy vertically.v

3. The combinationvwith a motor -driven vehiclejof the truck type,having frontsteering wheels, rear traction wheels,l a -main frame, wheelsupporting axleslandsprings connecting said axles ywith-the main frame,oa snowv plow operatingvdat the .rear of the truck While saidtruckis=driven in a rearward direction and includingv a Vframe, pivoted meansforl connecting lsaidplow to the main frame,.pivoted means forconnecting said plow lto the rear wheel supporting axle, and hoistingmechanism `on themain frame oversaid rear traction wheels andenfax1e,fofafsnow plow having a V-blade and a. i

frame including a bulkhead extending between the'sides of said V-blade,links connecting said bulkhead withthe sides of the 'main frame vof thetruck at the rear thereof, and

links connecting the sides of said V-bladej with saidrear axle.V l .15.The-combinationr with a motor driven vehicle of the truck type includinga main frame and rear traction elements, of a-plowstructure-connected'to the rear portion ofy said frame and operating at the rear ofsaidframe', a `hoisting lever for said plow `struc-I ture pivotallymounted in said lmain frame above said traction elements todistributethe weight of said plow'structure over said traction elementsand operatively connected to said plow structure for raising the same, ahoisting drum'on said vehicle, and a hoist-` ing cable mounted on saiddrum and having a multi-part hoist connection between said lever andframe. Y

6. :The combination with a motor driven vehicle of the trucktypeincluding a mainV frame and rear traction elements, of a plowstructure connected to the rear portion of said i frame and operating atthe rear thereof, a'

hoisting lever comprising a triangular shaped frame pivotallyc mountedintermediate its ends on said main kframe above said traction elementsand operatively connected at one of its spaced points to said plowstructure and carrying a series of pulleys at its other end, a

, series'of pulleyseimounted on said main truck frameia hoist drum andayhoisting line wound on said drum and extending between said series ofpulleys for moving said hoisting lever;

7. The combination with a motor driven vehicle of the truck type havinga chassis frame and rearwheels, a plow having a V`k Ashaped bladeworking at the rear of said? chassis frame and having a frame having abridge member provided with legs that straddle said rear wheels, andmeans for connecting said plow structure to said lvehicle forverticalmovement of said structure relative to rsaid vehicle. i v

8. In a snow plow for motor driven vehicles,the combination with a plowblade, ofa f frame connected with said blade and having armsdisposedabove said blade and extending laterally thereof, and bank cuttingblades pendantly supported from said arms in ad- 5 vance of said plowblade.

9. In a snow plow for motor driven vehi-` cles, the'combination with aV-blade plow, of

a cutting blade projecting forwardly from the apex of the plow, a frameconnected with said plow, side bank cutting blades carried by saidframe, adjustable side wings for said plow, and means for connectingsaid plow at the rear of a motor driven vehicle.

10. A. plow structure comprising a V- blade plow, a bulkhead between thesides of said blade, a U-shaped frame connected to said bulkhead, armsconnected with the upper portion of said frame and extending laterallyof the plow, braces between the outer ends of said arms and bulkhead,and cutting blades depending from the outer end portions of said arms.

f 11. The combination with a motor driven vehicle of the truck typehaving an operators station on the front portion ot said vehicle, of aplow structure including a plow and a frame including a U-shaped archedmember having legs straddling the rear portion of the vehicle, bracemeans between said :trame and the plow inclining downwardly from theside of said frame to the central portion of the plow and thus affordinga clear line of vision from the operators station through the open spaceabove said brace means.

12. The combination of a motor driven vehicle of the truck type having amain frame and rear traction wheels, of a snow plow structure having afixed blade, means for mounting said plow structure for operation at therear of said vehicle to distribute the Weight of said structure, itsload and the reactive forces due to plowing directly over said tractionwheels to increase the tractive eort of said wheels as the depth of thesnow increases including hoisting mechanism Jfor bodily raising andlowering said plow structure.

13. The combination with a motor driven vehicle of the truck type havinga main frame, traction elements at the rear of said y frame and a rearaxle, of a plow structure said plow' structure and said rear axleoperable in any position of vertical adjustment of said plow structure.

14. The combination with a motor driven Vvehicle of the truck typeincluding a main frame, rear traction wheels, rear axle and springsuspension for said frame from said `frame, rear traction wheels, rearaxle and springs connected to said rear axle and oper atively connectedto said iframe, of a snow plow structure mounted at the rear of saidframe, links. connecting said plow structure with said main frame, andlinks connecting said plow structure with the rear axle below saidsprings.

16. The combination with a motor driven vehicle of the truck typeincluding a main frame, rear traction wheels and rear axle, of a snowplow including a frame arranged to straddle said wheels, means forsupporting said .frame on the rear of said main frame over said tractionwheels, and a pushing connection between said plow and said rear axle.

17. The combination with a motor drivenkk vehicle of the truck typehaving a main frame, traction elements at the rear of said frame, asupport for said traction elements, and a spring suspension'from saidframe for said support, of a plow structure mounted for operation at therear of said vehicle as said vehicle is driven in a rearward directionand vertically adjustably supported `from the vehicle to Adistribute itsweight and load over said traction elements, and a pushing connectionbetween said plow structure and the support for said traction elementsoperable in anyposition of vertical adjustment of said plow structure.

In testimony whereof, we aHiX our signatures.

JOSEPH H. KERBER. EDWARD A. DROTT.

